FIR Blood Sports Blog Posts

Pictured at right: One of dozens of dogs rescued from a dog fighting bust in the Bronx in 2012.

At the request of the Buffalo Police Department and the SPCA Serving Erie County, the ASPCA is on the ground in Buffalo, New York assisting in a multi-site dog fighting raid.

This morning, eight search warrants were executed at several sites in the Buffalo area. In addition to evidence collection, the ASPCA’s Field Investigations and Response team is assisting in the seizure of at least 20 dogs from several properties, where they were allegedly being housed and fought. Investigators report that many of the dogs exhibited scars and wounds consistent with fighting, and some appeared to be emaciated and in poor health.

“Dog fighting is a national epidemic, and we are grateful for local authorities in actively pursuing the case and seeking justice for these innocent victims who were forced to live in deplorable conditions and subjected to horrific abuse,” said Tim Rickey, Vice President of ASPCA Field Investigations and Response.

The dogs seized during the raid will be cared for by the SPCA Serving Erie County.

In the last month alone, the ASPCA also assisted local and federal authorities in dog fighting cases in Dover, Delaware and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Dog fighting is a felony in all 50 states, and we are working hard to put an end to this brutal blood sport.

Please visit aspca.org/dogfighting for more information on the ASPCA’s efforts to tackle dog fighting and what the public can do to help.

When Vivian adopted Blue from the Humane Society of Southern Arizona (HSSA), she knew nothing of the horrors the nine-month-old pup had endured at the hands of dog fighters. One of 77 dogs rescued in a multi-state dog fighting raid in March 2013, Blue was chained to a stake in the ground, exposed and shivering in blizzard-like conditions, when the ASPCA rescued him. For today’s special video Happy Tail, we traveled to Tucson to catch up with Vivian and Blue.

Vivian W. grew up in New York with all kinds of pets: cats, birds, even rodents. But she never had a dog. When she moved to Arizona last year, she decided that pit bull adoption was at the top of her priority list. On her second day in Tucson, she adopted Blue.

“It was love at first sight,” says Vivian, recalling the moment she met Blue. After spotting his picture online, she was drawn to his striking blue eye (for which he is named), but knew nothing of his past. As she later came to learn, Blue was rescued by the ASPCA in a massive dog fighting raid. He was emaciated and weighed just 30 pounds when he first arrived at the shelter.

After his adoption, Blue settled in with Vivian quickly. He now devotes his time to the finer things in life: “He loves people, as well as car rides and his rope toy—that’s his favorite,” says Vivian. He is never far from her side, especially when she’s sleeping or cooking, and has even taken a liking to olives, which grow on the many trees that dot their property.

“He seems to have forgotten about everything that happened, which is more than we can really ask for,” she adds.

Blue’s happiness is a testament to his resilient spirit. In many ways, he represents the thousands of dogs who have been rescued from abuse and who refuse to be defined by their traumatic past. Blue never gave up, just as we will never give up our commitment to ending dog fighting. In fact, April 8 marked our first annual National Dog Fighting Awareness Day, a day created to spread knowledge and understanding of dog fighting and to encourage animal lovers to take action against this barbaric practice.

We believe that there will come a time when dog fighting is seen for what it really is: the shameful pastime of cowards. But until that day comes, we will continue to fight for the victims—for dogs like Blue—so that they never have to fight again.

The August 2013 raid spanned Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia, and after ASPCA responders provided veterinary care and behavior enrichment to the dogs, many of the dogs went to ASPCA partner organizations to find loving homes.

Buddy, who was just a puppy at the time of his rescue, was transported to the Charleston Animal Society, an ASPCA Partnership graduate agency. He was then placed with a foster parent, Michele W., who described this adorable pup as a “love bug” who quickly learned to get along with his foster parent’s four resident dogs.

Soon after, Buddy was adopted by Nicole M. and Andrew M., and it was love at first sight.

Nicole reports that Buddy is their constant companion. He loves to snuggle and play outside, and he bonded quickly with their resident dog, Cinnamon.

We could not be more pleased to share this happy ending to Buddy’s story. The ASPCA has designated April 8 as National Dog Fighting Awareness Day (NDFAD) to shed light on stories like Buddy’s and to encourage animal lovers across the country to take action against this brutal form of cruelty. Get involved by joining our NDFAD Google Hangout on April 8.

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The ASPCA is currently on the ground assisting the Milwaukee Police Department and the District Attorney of Milwaukee County with a multi-site dog fighting raid in the City of Milwaukee. Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission is transporting, sheltering and caring for the dogs.

Today, eight search warrants were executed at eight crime scenes, where 23 suspected fighting dogs were seized. Investigators also discovered blood on basement walls as well as other evidence of dog fighting, including treadmills, wound treatment supplies and muscle building supplements.

Experts from the ASPCA Field Investigations & Response (FIR) team are on hand to assist with evidence collection and documentation. The ASPCA has been assisting local authorities with this dog fighting investigation for nearly a year.

Dog fighting is a felony in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The ASPCA is committed to eradicating the blood sport. We have designated April 8 as the first National Dog Fighting Awareness Day to advance the conversation about dog fighting, and to encourage animal lovers across the country to take action against this brutal form of cruelty.

Earlier this week, we told you about our support of a massive cockfighting bust that spanned three counties in New York State. At the request of the New York State Attorney General's Office, the ASPCA is still on the ground at an Ulster County farm, assisting with the removal, transport and sheltering of as many as 4,000 fighting roosters.

While our responders establish a temporary shelter, where the birds will be cared for and housed pending court disposition, law enforcement officers have arrested three individuals associated with the farm, where birds allegedly destined for cockfights, were bred and trained. The owner of the property was apprehended in south Florida, and according to investigators and an article in the New York Times, has operated an extensive cockfighting pipeline for years.

Several other arrests were made on Saturday night when investigators busted a cockfight in Queens and raided a pet shop in Brooklyn. Cockfighting is illegal in all 50 states. In New York, cockfighting and possession of a fighting bird at a cockfighting location are felonies, with each charge carrying a maximum penalty of four years in jail and a maximum fine of $25,000.